Aside

Contact Info


Skills

Extended skills: genetic manipulation (in mouse), immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy, electrophysiology, biochemistry, immunoprecipitation, SDS-PAGE, western blot, virus design, intracerebroventricular virus injection, primer design, PCR, 2-photon microscopy, glutamate uncaging, organotypic slice culture, biolistic transfection, genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors, experimental design, data analysis, figure design, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, R, Python, Bash, Git


References

Kevin M. Wright, PhD
Vollum Institute, OHSU
wrighke@ohsu.edu

Eric Schnell, MD, PhD
Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medicine, OHSU
schneler@ohsu.edu

Karen Zito, PhD
Center for Neuroscience, UC Davis
kzito@ucdavis.edu



Disclaimer

This resume was made with the R package pagedown.

Last updated on 2025-12-05.

Main

Jennifer Jahncke, PhD

Portland, OR

Education

Oregon Health & Science University

PhD in Neuroscience

Portland, OR

2024 - 2018

  • Advisor: Kevin M. Wright, PhD, Vollum Institute, OHSU

University of California, Davis

BS in Psychology, Minor in Neuroscience

Davis, CA

2014 - 2010

Selected Courses

  • Analytical and Quantitative Light Microscopy, MBL, 2024, Woods Hole, MA
  • Behavioral Neuroscience Responsible Conduct of Research, OHSU, 2024, Portland, OR
  • Neurohackademy, UW, 2023, Seattle, WA
  • Programming for Biology, CSHL, 2022, Cold Spring Harbor, NY
  • Biostatistics, OHSU, 2020, Portland, OR
  • Data Visualization, OHSU, 2020, Portland, OR
  • Practice and Ethics of Science, OHSU, 2018, Portland, OR
  • Light and Fluorescence Microscopy, UC Davis, 2017, Davis, CA

N/A

Research Experience

Postdoctoral Researcher

Vollum Institute, OHSU

Portland, OR

Present - 2024

  • Identification and characterization of an evolutionarily conserved novel architecture of cerebellar GABAergic synapses.
  • Development and initial validation of gene therapy to alleviate neurological deficits in mouse models of dystroglycanopathy.

Graduate Student Researcher

Neuroscience Graduate Program, OHSU

Portland, OR

2024 - 2018

  • Functional characterization of the scaffolding protein Dystroglycan at inhibitory synapses across the brain in mouse models of dystroglycanopathy.
  • Identified novel interacting partners of Dystroglycan in the central nervous system.

Staff Research Associate

Zito & Fioravante Labs, UC Davis

Davis, CA

2018 - 2014

  • Characterization of genetically encoded fluorescent glutamate sensors using 2-photon glutamate uncaging.
  • Elucidation of a novel protein signaling cascade in non-ionotropic NMDA receptor mediated LTD.

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Trimmer & Trainor Labs, UC Davis

Davis, CA

2014 - 2011

HONORS
2023 Vollum/NGP Paper of the Year

2023-2024 OHSU School of Medicine N.L. Tartar Trust Research Fellowship

2020-2023 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award

2020 NSF GRFP Honorable Mention

ARCS Foundation Scholar

Phi Beta Kappa

Publications

Distinct functional domains of Dystroglycan regulate inhibitory synapse formation and maintenance in cerebellar Purkinje cells.

Jahncke JN, Schnell E, Wright KW. Commun Biol. 2025; 8(1):878. doi: 10.1038/s42003-025-08323-1

N/A

2025

Tools for Cre-Mediated Conditional Deletion of Floxed Alleles from Developing Cerebellar Purkinje Cells.

Jahncke JN, Wright KW. eNeuro 22 May 2024, 11 (6) ENEURO.0149-24.2024; doi: 10.1523/ENEURO.0149-24.2024

N/A

2024

Inhibitory CCK+ basket synapse defects in mouse models of dystroglycanopathy.

Jahncke JN, Miller DS, Krush M, Schnell E, Wright KW. eLife. 2024; 12:RP87965. doi: 10.7554/eLife.87965.3

N/A

2024

An adhesion signaling axis involving Dystroglycan, β1-Integrin, and Cas adaptor proteins regulates the establishment of the cortical glial scaffold.

Wong W, Estep JA, Treptow AM, Rajabli N, Jahncke JN, Ubina T, Wright KM, Riccomagno MM. PLoS Biol. 2023 Aug 4;21(8):e3002212. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002212

N/A

2023

The many roles of dystroglycan in nervous system development and function.

Jahncke JN, Wright KW. Developmental Dynamics. 2023; 252( 1): 61- 80. doi: 10.1002/dvdy.516

N/A

2023

Shared and Distinct Functional Effects of Patient-Specific Tbr1 Mutations on Cortical Development.

Co M, Barnard RA, Jahncke JN, Grindstaff S, Fedorov LM, Adey AC, Wright KM, O’Roak BJ. Journal of Neuroscience 14 September 2022, 42 (37) 7166-7181; doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0409-22.2022

N/A

2022

Molecular Mechanisms of Non-ionotropic NMDA Receptor Signaling in Dendritic Spine Shrinkage.

Stein IS, Park DK, Flores JC, Jahncke JN, Zito K. Journal of Neuroscience 22 April 2020, JN-RM-0046-20; doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0046-20.2020

N/A

2020

A Dual Role for the RhoGEF Ephexin5 in Regulation of Dendritic Spine Outgrowth.

Hamilton AM, Lambert JT, Parajuli LK, Vivas O, Park DK, Stein IS, Jahncke JN, Greenberg ME, Margolis SS, Zito K. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience 80 (2017): 66-7 doi: 10.1016/j.mcn.2017.02.001

N/A

2017

Talks

Go Nuts for Donuts: Molecular determinants of cerebellar GABAergic donut synapses

Vollum Works In Progress

Portland, OR

2024

A functional role for Dystroglycan at inhibitory synapses across multiple brain regions

Dissertation Defense

Portland, OR

2024

A conserved role for Dystroglycan at inhibitory synapses across multiple brain regions

Vollum Works In Progress

Portland, OR

2023

Inhibitory Basket Synapse Formation in Mouse Models of Dystroglycanopathy

Vollum Works In Progress

Portland, OR

2023

A functional role for Dystroglycan at inhibitory cerebellar synapses

Vollum Works In Progress

Virtual

2021

Dystroglycan: a scaffold for inhibitory synapses in cerebellar cortex

Vollum Works In Progress

Virtual

2020

Abstracts

Distinct domains of Dystroglycan regulate GABAergic synapse formation and function in cerebellar Purkinje cells.

Jahncke JN, Schnell E, Wright KM. Inhibition in the CNS GRC

Newry, ME

2025

Purkinje neuron Dystroglycan is required for inhibitory synapse formation and maintenance.

Jahncke JN, Schnell E, Wright KM. OHSU NGP Retreat

Government Camp, OR

2023

Dystrogycan is necessary for the formation of functional inhibitory CCK+/CB1R+ basket synapses in hippocampus.

Jahncke JN, Miller DS, Schnell E, Wright KM. CSHL Molecular Mechanisms of Neuronal Connectivity

Cold Spring Harbor, NY

2022

Purkinje cell Dystroglycan may promote the function of inhibitory basket synapses in cerebellar cortex.

Jahncke JN, Schnell E, Wright KM. CSHL Molecular Mechanisms of Neuronal Connectivity

Cold Spring Harbor, NY

2020

Non ionotropic NMDA receptor signaling mechanisms driving dendritic spine plasticity.

Stein IS, Park DK, Jahncke JN, Zito K. Society for Neuroscience

Chicago, IL

2019

Genetically-encoded glutamate sensors for monitoring large populations of individual synapses in vivo.

Mizuno GO, Dong C, Jahncke JN, Natan R, Papadopoulos S, Jaffe D, Lambert JT, Ji N, Zito K, Tian . Fourth Annual Brain Initiative Investigators Meeting

Bethesda, MD

2018

Teaching Experience

MBL Analytical and Quantitative Light Microscopy

Teaching assistant at the Marine Biological Laboratory AQLM course.

Woods Hole, MA

2025

OHSU NGP Bootcamp: Model Organisms

Hands on dissection of mouse and sheep brains to familiarize incoming graduate students with practical neuroanatomy of model system organisms.

Portland, OR

2023 - 2025

Rigor and Reproducibility in Light Microscopy

Lecture on best practices in light microscopy, aimed at incoming neuroscience graduate students.

Portland, OR

2023 - 2025

OHSU MD Foundations of Medicine: Nervous System and Function

Instruction of first year medical students learning about brain structure and function. Taught human cerebellum and brain stem anatomy in a hands on lab working with donated specimen.

Portland, OR

2023 - 2025

OHSU NGP Bootcamp: Patch Clamp Electrophysiology

Hands on patch clamp instruction.

Portland, OR

2021

Graduate Level TA Positions

Biostatistics (CONJ 620) Winter 2021, OHSU
Cellular Neurophysiology (NEUS 624) Fall 2019, OHSU

Portland, OR

2021, 2019

MBL Neurobiology, Imaging Section

Teaching assistant at the Marine Biological Laboratory Neurobiology Course for the imaging section.

Woods Hole, MA

2018

Volunteer & Mentorship Experience

Neuroscience Graduate Program Rotation Student Mentor

Mentored students through their 8-week laboratory rotation, overseeing their laboratory work, data analysis, and data presentation. In total I have mentored six rotation students.

Portland, OR

2022 - 2026

Undergraduate Researcher Mentor

Mentored an undergraduate research intern as part of the two month OHSU NGP Summer Intern Program. Oversaw their laboratory work, data analysis, oral presentation, and poster presentation.

Portland, OR

2024

Alliance for Visible Diversity (AVDS)

Communications Committee Member

Portland, OR

2022 - 2020

OHSU Graduate School Organization (GSO)
Peer Mentoring Program

Peer Mentor

Portland, OR

2022 - 2019

Women In Science PDX (WIS)

STEMpowerment Committee Member

Portland, OR

2020 - 2019

NGP Alumni Invite Committee

Committee Member

Portland, OR

2019 - 2018

Brain Awareness Week - Davis Chapter

Event Organizer, Volunteer

Davis, CA

2018 - 2015

UC Davis Neurobiology, Physiology, & Behavior Club

Guest Speaker

Davis, CA

2015

Undergraduate Researcher Mentor

Mentored two undergraduates in the lab setting, overseeing their independent research projects and providing support through poster presentations, fellowship applications, and career development.

Davis, CA

2018 - 2014